Hi All,
Sorry for the delay in posting about my experience.
As some of you know, I filed in August 2007 and got stuck in the front-log, and was unable to do my finger prints until December 2007. However, luckily, my interview was scheduled right away for March 2008.
In Buffalo, we do not have same day oath, so I knew going in that I would not be sworn in the same day. I did know however, that I would get the oath notice right away (on the spot) if I passed, because they hold ceremonies every 2 weeks.
My interview was on a Thursday afternoon (for 2pm), but I ended up waiting there until 3.15pm. I was the last person to be called in, and my IO was an elderly African American lady. She took me into her office and introduced herself. Then she swore me in.
Before I could sit down, she asked to see my driver's license, green card and national passport. It was at this point that I gently reminded her that I am an asylee and do not have a national passport, and I proceeded to hand her my re-entry permit. She thanked me for giving her the travel document, and the interview began. Right away, she looked at my green card and compared it with the information on my driver's license.
She basically went through the entire application - line by line - some times asking me the exact same questions and other times just simply paraphrasing. She would check off each item in red ink when she was satisfied with my response. In the middle of the interview, she paused and without notice started the 10 history test questions and stopped after I answered first 6 correctly. She asked me to read a sentence off a piece of paper and had me write a simple sentence on the same paper. The she told me I passed the reading, writing, and history portion and had me sign the paper.
We resumed to the N-400 where she began asking me about my work history. She asked me for my entire work history and wanted to go beyond the 5 years written on the application. I think she wanted to compare this with my I-485 application as I could see her flipping to it. Then she looked through my travel document (every single page) and asked me if I have ever traveled internationally. I told her aside from trips to Canada (which I listed) I have never been out of the US. She stressed again if I went back to my COP - to which I said no. She asked me how I got my status again, and asked me how come I didn't have a passport....then how did I enter the country the first time? I told her I entered without documents. She seemed satisfied with that response.
She then asked me if I have ever been in deportation proceedings and I told her that since I filed for asylum and was referred to a judge, I was technically placed in deportation proceedings. The judge gave me my asylum and removed me from deportation proceedings. She was unfamiliar with whether or not that should mean we mark 'yes' for that question. So she got up and asked a colleague. She came back an told me that it doesn't but that she will make a note in the application that I was awarded asylum by an immigration judge.
She quickly glanced through my marriage status and asked me if my wife was in the US and if my daughter was born here - to which I answered yes. It was after all in the application! My wife's status in the US did not come up. And then she went back to my work and education section and commented on how they overlap - to which I explained I went to night school while working full time. I think that surprised/impressed her that I completed undergrad and graduate school while working full time. I don't know why that is so surprising considering we have come to the US to better our lives and escape persecution.
Finally she made me sign my pictures with my regular signature and sign the application as well. She gave me the form that I have been recommended for approval but she would need to run my case through her supervisor since they do not get alot of asylee and refugee applicants. I think I was one of the few that did not get the oath letter the same day. She told me I should expect my oath letter in the mail within 10 days, and you know what? I got it exactly 11 days later and was sworn in a few days after that.
All in all, if you are an asylee and you have stayed within the rules, everything should be okay. They do focus more on us because we aren't common and they want to make sure they aren't bestowing citizenship easily. Also, your trips overseas might come up. Just be honest and up front and everything will be okay.
Hope this helps you guys and sorry for the delay in getting it out to you.
Sorry for the delay in posting about my experience.
As some of you know, I filed in August 2007 and got stuck in the front-log, and was unable to do my finger prints until December 2007. However, luckily, my interview was scheduled right away for March 2008.
In Buffalo, we do not have same day oath, so I knew going in that I would not be sworn in the same day. I did know however, that I would get the oath notice right away (on the spot) if I passed, because they hold ceremonies every 2 weeks.
My interview was on a Thursday afternoon (for 2pm), but I ended up waiting there until 3.15pm. I was the last person to be called in, and my IO was an elderly African American lady. She took me into her office and introduced herself. Then she swore me in.
Before I could sit down, she asked to see my driver's license, green card and national passport. It was at this point that I gently reminded her that I am an asylee and do not have a national passport, and I proceeded to hand her my re-entry permit. She thanked me for giving her the travel document, and the interview began. Right away, she looked at my green card and compared it with the information on my driver's license.
She basically went through the entire application - line by line - some times asking me the exact same questions and other times just simply paraphrasing. She would check off each item in red ink when she was satisfied with my response. In the middle of the interview, she paused and without notice started the 10 history test questions and stopped after I answered first 6 correctly. She asked me to read a sentence off a piece of paper and had me write a simple sentence on the same paper. The she told me I passed the reading, writing, and history portion and had me sign the paper.
We resumed to the N-400 where she began asking me about my work history. She asked me for my entire work history and wanted to go beyond the 5 years written on the application. I think she wanted to compare this with my I-485 application as I could see her flipping to it. Then she looked through my travel document (every single page) and asked me if I have ever traveled internationally. I told her aside from trips to Canada (which I listed) I have never been out of the US. She stressed again if I went back to my COP - to which I said no. She asked me how I got my status again, and asked me how come I didn't have a passport....then how did I enter the country the first time? I told her I entered without documents. She seemed satisfied with that response.
She then asked me if I have ever been in deportation proceedings and I told her that since I filed for asylum and was referred to a judge, I was technically placed in deportation proceedings. The judge gave me my asylum and removed me from deportation proceedings. She was unfamiliar with whether or not that should mean we mark 'yes' for that question. So she got up and asked a colleague. She came back an told me that it doesn't but that she will make a note in the application that I was awarded asylum by an immigration judge.
She quickly glanced through my marriage status and asked me if my wife was in the US and if my daughter was born here - to which I answered yes. It was after all in the application! My wife's status in the US did not come up. And then she went back to my work and education section and commented on how they overlap - to which I explained I went to night school while working full time. I think that surprised/impressed her that I completed undergrad and graduate school while working full time. I don't know why that is so surprising considering we have come to the US to better our lives and escape persecution.
Finally she made me sign my pictures with my regular signature and sign the application as well. She gave me the form that I have been recommended for approval but she would need to run my case through her supervisor since they do not get alot of asylee and refugee applicants. I think I was one of the few that did not get the oath letter the same day. She told me I should expect my oath letter in the mail within 10 days, and you know what? I got it exactly 11 days later and was sworn in a few days after that.
All in all, if you are an asylee and you have stayed within the rules, everything should be okay. They do focus more on us because we aren't common and they want to make sure they aren't bestowing citizenship easily. Also, your trips overseas might come up. Just be honest and up front and everything will be okay.
Hope this helps you guys and sorry for the delay in getting it out to you.
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